1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of an universal access switch, also referred to herein as a key-operated switch, which is of the type comprising a housing open at one side and provided with a cover member for the housing and a conventional cylinder lock for actuating a switch insert or switch insert member capable of performing a switch function.
2. Discussion of the Background and Material Information
German Published Patent Application No. 2,856,337, published Jul. 10, 1980, discloses a key-operated switch comprising a housing having a removable cover in which there is fastened by means of an attachment lug or nose member a cylinder lock containing a rotatable locking bit or latch. At the-side-of the operator or user there is arranged at the removable cover a seal and a cover plate, each of which is provided with a throughpass opening for the cylinder lock. The cover, seal and cover plate are connected with the housing by threaded bolts or screws extending through four respective aligned or registering fastening or attachment holes.
A drawback of this prior art key-operated switch is that the thickness of the seal and cover plate must coincide with the part of the cylinder lock protruding out of the cover at the side of the operator. A strict correlation or accommodation is required between the seal and cover plate with respect to the cylinder lock, since there are employed conventional cylinder locks for key-operated switches and depending upon the manufacturer there are encountered different dimensions of the cylinder lock.